Adelheid

After a rather rough early sequence, this settles into an unusual and effective depiction of the tension between a man and a woman between whom communication is very limited and in the midst of a generally tense and fraught situation. One imagines it would have looked very impressive in the cinema at the time and a high-definition restoration is indicated.

Claustrophobic and intense chamber drama explores the trauma of history and the pernacious way that ideology distorts human behaviour, which was a preoccupation of Vlacil's during his prime period. The dilapidated mansion reflects the general social and moral decay of European society, communicating a gloomy sense of fatalism, and Vlacil's impressive use of muddy earth tones creates uniquely textured visuals whose impact is partially lost on current formats. Cerna is also excellent as Adelheid.

Há 50 anos estreava na Tchecoslováquia. O tema é interessante, o estranhamento mútuo entre tchecos e alemães no pós-guerra, mas a verdade é que não dei a mínima para nada do que vi durante todo o filme, embora a questão da opressão feminina em tempos de guerra seja bem nítida aqui. DVDRip no MakingOff.

I want to be serious about me not liking it, but it's hard. It was my third movie that evening at the cinematheque, I was so tired and already lived through "Amarcord" (the weakest Fellini in my opinion) and Tom Ford's nocturnal masturbation session. And then came Adelheid, and I've already seen Wajda's men of marble and iron the same week, so... My stomach was already full of The aftermath of WW2 in eastern europe. Having a subscription to the Cinematheque is not easy.

You're never quite sure what is going through Adelheid's head or how she really feels towards our leading man, and when I reached the end I was just as unsure and so just as fascinated by this compelling, enigmatic woman. The fleeting images of incredible beauty contrast well with the rough down to earth aesthetic. Though on paper the film sounds simple, I found the emotional complexities as well as the enigmatic characterization of Adelheid to make it anything but.

Another great film from Vlacil, set after World War 2 and tackling very controversial issues of the treatment of Germans that occupied the country that would split into Czech Republic, including here the daughter of a Nazi officer who is forced to be the maid for the main character and who he falls in love with. The film, with its few characters and locations, feels like a very emotional and deep chamber piece, one which also has a very exquisite look and mood to match the material.